Digby Jones, one of the government's business ambassadors and former trade and investment minister, has criticised the planned abolition of the Learning and Skills Council.

Lord Jones of Birming- ham, who is also former head of the CBI employers' organisation, asked skills minister Tony Young at Lords question time: "Given the success of the Learning and Skills Councils when it comes to a major attack on communities such as the closure of Vauxhall or the closure of MG Rover in Longbridge in Birmingham, can you explain to us why it is that the Learning and Skills Council is being replaced by local authorities that will be politically motivated rather than business driven, which has been the key to previous success?"